Oberammergau Passion Play, Lake Garda & The Rhine Valley

Itinerary

12-Day Itinerary

• Day 1

  Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to Belgium for an overnight stay.

• Day 2 - Cologne & the Rhine Valley

  We leave Belgium and head to the city of Cologne with its splendid Gothic cathedral with twin spires that dominate the skyline view from the River Rhine.

  After some free time, we continue along the Rhine Valley with the opportunity to join an optional relaxing cruise along the river to enjoy the sedate scenery of the vineyards and castles that adorn the Valley.

  We continue to the Frankfurt area for our overnight stay.

  Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

• Day 3 - Heidelberg

  Enjoy an included morning visit to the picturesque town of Heidelberg on the River Neckar, famed for its university dating back to 1386, castle and Old Town – the ‘Altstadt’.

  After time for lunch, we head south to our accommodation in the Oberammergau area for a two-night stay, with time to relax ahead of tomorrow’s spectacle.

  Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

• Day 4 - Oberammergau Passion Play

  This morning, relax and soak up your surroundings. We will have lunch at noon, ahead of the Passion Play.

  The play has a running time of approximately five hours in total, with a meal served during the interval. The performance begins at 2:30pm* concluding around 10:30pm, with a three-hour break at 5:00pm when dinner is provided. After the performance, you will be transferred back to your accommodation.

  The play is traditionally performed in German and a textbook with the complete play text is included on all tours.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 5 - Innsbruck

  We leave after breakfast and head for the splendours of Lake Garda. En route to Lake Garda we call into Austria’s Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck. Surrounded by steep mountains, the city’s location is most impressive. Perhaps the most notable landmark is the Golden Roof which was built for Emperor Maximilian I so he could sit on its balcony and watch tournaments, festivals, and events in the square below.

  Leaving Innsbruck, we travel over the spectacular Brenner Pass into Italy to our hotel in Lake Garda for a six-night stay.

  Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

• Day 6 - Free Time or A Taste of Italy

  Today is free for you to relax and explore your new surroundings. Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy and a popular holiday destination. After a leisurely morning, why not join our optional afternoon Taste of Italy excursion? We make our way to a cantina, where the wine experts will explain the different grapes grown in the area and used in the production of the wine. You will then have the chance to taste both red and white wines, as well as sample some of the local produce.

  Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

• Day 7 - Verona

  After breakfast, we have an included excursion to Verona, the second-largest city in the Veneto region. Set alongside the River Adige, this beautiful city is the setting for William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Verona was a Roman city, and many of its Roman ruins have been preserved, most notably the Arena. Its military importance has also left the city with substantial fortifications and a fine castle.

  To introduce you to the city’s array of spectacular sights, why not join our optional guided walking tour? The many charms of the city will be brought to life as you walk through its streets accompanied by a local guide. Admire the first-century Arena, which dominates the main square and is home to the prestigious Verona Opera Festival (entrance included on the walking tour). Verona also boasts an abundance of fine palaces and churches, which adorn its alleyways and squares.

  You will have time at leisure to browse amongst the shops or take a coffee break in one of the many cafés in Piazza Brà, overlooking the Arena.

  Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

• Day 8 - Free Time or Venice

  No time in this part of Italy is complete without a visit to Venice. Join our optional excursion to this city of canals and palaces, where you can enjoy famous sights including the Bridge of Sighs and the Doge’s Palace. A visit to St Mark’s Square, the principal public square of Venice, is also a must. It is dominated at its eastern end by the magnificent St Mark’s Basilica, a superb example of the Romanesque-Byzantine style.

  Perhaps take a ride on a gondola, with your expert gondolier steering you through the busy waterways (at own cost). Alternatively, you could sit back and relax at Harry’s Bar with one of their famous Bellini cocktails.

  For a different view over St Mark’s Square, enjoy our optional lagoon cruise as we sail past Giudecca Island and Venice’s Lido resort, made famous by the International Film Festival.

  Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

• Day 9 - Lake Garda Tour

  We have another day on Lake Garda, and there is a great deal to see and do around the lake. Our included lake tour will stop at some of the most picturesque villages. We also see the ancient fortified town of Sirmione, the gem of the peninsula, at the southern end of the lake.

  Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

• Day 10 - Free Time or Lake Garda Cruise

  You have a free day today to relax in your holiday resort on Lake Garda. Alternatively, why not join our optional boat cruise across the lake? We board our boat and sail first to the charming town of Limone on the western shore, where there will be free time to meander down the cobbled streets or sample the delicious Italian ice cream.

  We then continue our journey across Lake Garda to Malcesine, a lovely town with narrow lanes clustering beneath the thirteenth-century turreted Scaligero Castle.

  Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

• Day 11

  Travel to Belgium or northern France for an overnight stay.

  Meals - Breakfast

• Day 12

  Return home.

  Meals - Breakfast

Accommodation

You will stay for six nights at a 3-star hotel on Lake Garda such as the Club Hotel La Vela in Torbole sul Garda or the Hotel Sole Splendid in Manerba. You will also stay for two nights in the Oberammergau area.

Overnight stays in Belgium, northern France and Germany will be in city-style hotels.

Your Choice of Accommodation in Oberammergau
All our holidays include accommodation in either Oberammergau itself or the surrounding villages, so you can arrive in Oberammergau in good time before the play. We offer a choice of accommodation including hotels and guest houses which have been graded by the Passion Play committee according to the facilities available. All categories of accommodation will include a shower or bath and WC.

There are three different accommodation categories to choose from (subject to confirmation from the committee):

Category D: 2-star hotels or 3-star pensions/guest houses
Category C: 3-star hotels or 4-star pensions/guest houses
Category B: 4-star hotels or 5-star pensions/guest houses

Exact details of accommodation will be confirmed closer to the time.